Friends of the Sea

Favorite Vacation Moment

Anchorage, AK

by Violet_Crayon March 12, 2008 | Milwaukee, WI for now

The shore shortly before spotting the otter

A brisk wind was blowing across the water from the mountains and glaciers across the inlet. Waves were rolling in and breaking on the gravel shore that I was walking down, observing driftwood and drying kelp. This was a cool summer morning out on Homer Spit and my grandparents were packing up the camper and doing last minute preparations before leaving the Western side of the Kenai Peninsula. I had grabbed the video camera my parents lent me for this epic summer adventure and was planning on trying to capture the view of the ocean. I noticed the sound of gulls making their usual racket, but they were circling out over the water. My first guess was a fishing boat had stirred up or dropped food to the interest of the scavengers while traveling to the docks. Squinting to see what might be happening it was then I realized a raft of sea otters was dotting the cresting waves as well. Their little forms were turning and diving and resurfacing in their playful manner, but the gem of the moment was spotting one that was not too far from shore. I crept closer and knelt down to observe the creature as tears filled my eyes. The emotions welling inside were indescribable, this was a wild sea otter holding a crab in his masterful paws. This was the animal that my elementary school teachers read stories about, the tragic oil in their fur, the future of the species, and one is joyfully pulling at a crab. Never did I expect to happen upon this moment and it remains with me was one of the most memorable moments of my summer and life.